Unique Field

[zooguy1492]

I'm still having trouble with a relationship field and I've stopped using HandBase until I get this resolved (since it uses a relationship field).

Here is my previous post:
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/HanD ... sage/22994

I currently have a relationship field refering to a "unique" field in the current database and a unique field in a second database but I'm getting non-unique numbers in my main database.

This earlier thread seems to say I should be using these "long unique" values by setting up a "link" and condition field, but I'm unable to figure out how to do this and preserve my existing relationship between already existing records.

1) Why isn't a "unique" field giving me unique values (I only have < 350 records in the main database)?
2) If I need to use a "long unique" trick, how do I preserve my existing relationship fields between these databases?

Also, while I'm at it, what is the status of the Windows Mobile patch update for HandBase? I thought it was supposed to be released several months ago.

Paul P.

[ddhsoftwareadmin]

Thanks for following up on the new forums with this topic. I thought I replied to your last email there, but I apologize as it appears I have not. In regards to the unique field, it's been mentioned before in this topic, the unique field is only unique if you are using only one source (ie, only adding records on your Windows Mobile device and not importing or adding on the desktop). If you create a database with a unique field and use it only on the Windows Mobile side, it will remain 'unique'. But I agree, it's not very useful in the sense of being truly unique, hence the other solution we mentioned.

To answer your second question, I'm not aware of a way to make it preserve your existing relationships as once you switch to that method, it's all auto-generated values and the expectation by the field types involved. So at that point, you'd have to reestablish the relationships by hand. Sorry!

In respect to the Windows Mobile update, still working on that. I gave a status update a few weeks back that some of the problems are much bigger than they seemed and we're working on solutions. For example, the popup menu issue that people have reported is requiring a complete rewrite of the popup value selector because of the bug being an OS level bug. Hoping we'll have that out soon and I'm spending my programming time working exclusively on Windows Mobile right now.

I'm still having trouble with a relationship field and I've stopped using HandBase until I get this resolved (since it uses a relationship field).

Here is my previous post:
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/HanD ... sage/22994

I currently have a relationship field refering to a "unique" field in the current database and a unique field in a second database but I'm getting non-unique numbers in my main database.

This earlier thread seems to say I should be using these "long unique" values by setting up a "link" and condition field, but I'm unable to figure out how to do this and preserve my existing relationship between already existing records.

1) Why isn't a "unique" field giving me unique values (I only have < 350 records in the main database)?
2) If I need to use a "long unique" trick, how do I preserve my existing relationship fields between these databases?

Also, while I'm at it, what is the status of the Windows Mobile patch update for HandBase? I thought it was supposed to be released several months ago.

Paul P.

[zooguy1492]

Thanks for the response...

Seeing that I have so many records, I'm looking to find a programmatic way (or through Excel) to remap the "unique" field to this "long unique" field value.

When I create a "long unique" field, I'm seeing a blank value in this field (condition field based on a link field) in the Desktop application, but I am seeing a presumably correct value for the link field. I think you said earlier that this "trick" with the condition field [(if link=0) link else link] was to convert the link value into a integer value. Shouldn't I see an integer value for this field in the Desktop.

[dhaupert]

I'm going to do a little experimenting and see if I can recommend a good procedure for this. Stay tuned!

[zooguy1492]

Sorry to keep bringing this back up...

I thought the results of this "condition" calculation would be an integer number which I would then use in my secondary database to link the two records manual (after exporting). But I don't see anything in the "condition" field. The field in blank.

Am I missing something? Is there an example on how to do this?

[zooguy1492]

Let me ask this question a different way. If a "link-condition" relationship should be used between two databases (instead of a "unique-relationship" which I was using), what is the proper way to import an existing database which has a relationship between two databases?

[dhaupert]

Let me ask this question a different way. If a "link-condition" relationship should be used between two databases (instead of a "unique-relationship" which I was using), what is the proper way to import an existing database which has a relationship between two databases?

I'm not sure there is a way- been thinking about this all week. If you're using the link condition, the value of that as the relationship will be set even for records imported, as each new imported record will assign it's own number. If I were using an SQL based database, I'd write a query that found the new link value used and copy that to the related records. But that will require some db programming skill. Other than that, I'd suggest either going with something like the UserID plugin from UnpluggedIdeas or reestablishing the links manually.

Sorry!

[zooguy1492]

Sorry to staying on this same subject... but my condition field doesn't seem to be updated.

I have an existing database. Using the Desktop, I added a "link" field.. I then add a "condition" field like you said which says "if link = 0 then link else else". Then I export the database to a CSV file and I don't see ANY value in the "condition" field. I do see a value in the link field. Then, when I double click on a line in the database and then simply hit OK (using default FORM), then all of a sudden I'm now see a value in the "condition" field.

Am I supposed to get values in the condition field after adding a new field in the database. When does a "condition" field get evaluated?
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/HanDBase/message/22566

Paul P.

[dhaupert]

Sorry to staying on this same subject... but my condition field doesn't seem to be updated.

I have an existing database. Using the Desktop, I added a "link" field.. I then add a "condition" field like you said which says "if link = 0 then link else else". Then I export the database to a CSV file and I don't see ANY value in the "condition" field. I do see a value in the link field. Then, when I double click on a line in the database and then simply hit OK (using default FORM), then all of a sudden I'm now see a value in the "condition" field.

Am I supposed to get values in the condition field after adding a new field in the database. When does a "condition" field get evaluated?
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/HanDBase/message/22566

Paul P.

Hi Paul,

The conditional field gets evaluated when you open to edit. It will also get reevaulated automatically if a field it depends on changes, but since the link field will never change it's unlikely to update after the first time.

My suggestion here is this:
Create a new text field
use the Set Value To option and set the text field you defined to some value. When the program opens each record and sets it's text field value, it should probably reevaluate the conditional field.
Then you can set the text field back to not-used as you don't need it any longer.

Let me know if this does the trick!

[zooguy1492]

Where do I find this "Set Value To" option??

I tried the setting to "Default" option when I created the field, but that didn't appear to update the record. I did this from the Desktop...

I seem to be having no luck with this...